


realization

by koolcatkenma



Series: tumblr requests [10]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, KageHina - Freeform, M/M, alllll fluff, like fuckin cotton candy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 14:28:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20798126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koolcatkenma/pseuds/koolcatkenma





	realization

It wasn’t an immediate ‘love at first sight’ feeling. If that had been the case, the pair would have been head over heels during their first match in junior high. It wasn’t even during their first year of high school either; that was the year their friendship blossomed. Looking back, Kageyama figures it was the summer before their second year when new feelings bubbled up inside him. 

That summer they were practically inseparable; every day they were either playing volleyball or watch tapes of old matches. Hinata even brought Natsu along some days, the young girl taking an interest in the game. She would be standing on the other side of the net, ready to chase after the ball or dive into the grass feet away from where it actually hit. 

And always after, they would all go and get frozen treats as the sunset, taking turns walking each other home. One day, Natsu wasn’t with them, and the pair were chatting about anything and everything. Hinata recalled a match back in their first year, one where he had hit Kageyama with his serve and they had ended up fighting the whole match. He was convinced his serves had gotten better; he was now hitting the top of the net instead of right in the middle. Kageyama only nodded, enjoying his popsicle. He only turned to his friend when he asked for confirmation that his serves were indeed improving.   
When he looked down at him, the boy was looking back at him with such hope and confidence, eyes glimmering in the light of the setting sun, face messy from his ice cream. Kageyama doesn’t really remember what he said, but whatever it was please the middle blocker enough for him to look forward again, smiling. Kageyama didn’t look away until Hinata spotted an old friend and ran ahead to say hi. 

For Hinata, he’s convinced he was the last to feel something other than platonic feelings for this setter. In reality, he was the first by a longshot. It had been during one of their final matches when he scored the winning point from one of Kageyama’s perfect sets. When he landed back on his own feet, the ball already hitting the floor with a loud smack, he was engulfed in a hug and raised in the air. Kageyama was yelling something with excitement, as was everyone around him. But he could only focus on the warmth wrapped around his waist, the lightness in his head, and the blush on his cheeks. 

After that, he approached all of their interactions as if they were experiments. The boy was convinced this was a one-time thing; the rush of their win and heat of the gym were the cause. But whenever the setter clapped a hand on his back or bumped his shoulder walking, the warmth would return. It took him until summer to fully realize what he was feeling. 

Fast forward to their second year; both had let their realizations sit and stir for the remainder of the summer, continuing like everything was okay. Until they realized that the locker room existed; that brought about a whole new problem, especially since their lockers were next to each other. Then the fact that their old uniforms didn’t fit as they had at the end of the school year. 

Hinata was a few centimeters taller, making his shirts rise up when he did anything. Which made setting that much more difficult, Kageyama’s eyes drifting to the exposed skin instead of watching the ball hit its target.

The sleeves on Kageyama’s shirts had become too tight, and his shorts weren’t loose; Hinata had almost been caught ogling the setter on several different occasions. Standing behind him to serve wasn’t fun, especially when the ball went to where his eyes were. 

About a week into this, Hinata decided that something needed to be done. The paid refused to acknowledge the shift in their relationship, acting as if everything was the same. It wasn’t. And the middle blocker decided to corner his setter on their daily walk home after practice when they were alone.

Once the school was out of sight, an uncomfortable silence setting between them. The weather was still warm and they had opted to keep their (new) practice uniforms on, which had no pockets to shove their hands in. The orange-haired boy tried to work up the courage to say something, anything but came up short. They were nearing his house; it was now or never.

“I like you.”

It was a quiet confession, barely above a whisper. Hinata stopped in his tracks, staring slack-jawed at his friend. Kageyama walked on for a couple more steps before stopping as well, keeping his back to Hinata. 

“You...like me?”

“Are you deaf, or just a dumbass?” 

Kageyama turned around in time to take the force of Hinata’s hug from the front, wind getting knocked out of him. Fortunately, he kept his footing, avoiding the fall onto the gravel. Hinata buried his head into the setter’s shirt, returning his words.

“I like you too.”

With the shock fading from him quickly, Kageyama returned the embrace. He leaned into the boy, placing his chin on top of the orange mess. The silence was comfortable. Neither wanted to end the hug, but the passing of a car startled both of them. They separated, their eyes meeting, watching the blush blossom across the other’s cheeks. The rest of the walk was quiet and comfortable, hands finding one another and clasping together.


End file.
